How can someone become an online freelance writer? I always say the first step is having a love to write. Most (but not all) online freelance writers have some sort of background in writing. It may have been personal poems, fiction, print, or other outlets. But the bottom line is loving what you do! That is the key to being successful in any career.
Gather information about Online Freelance Writing
I recommend that everyone new to the freelance writing world use the internet to your advantage. Research all of the writing aspects on freelance writing sites, blogs, and forums. Talk to others who have experience in this writing field. Online writing is a completely different world from print. Learn all you can about freelance writing to avoid any surprises once you get started. Most freelance writers are more than happy to talk to new writers because they have been there and done that.
Learn about Passive and Active Income for Freelance Writers
When I list my career or tell others what I do, there are two noticeable misconceptions about being a freelance writer. The first is that I do not actually work. You wont believe the amount of people who think I ‘claim’ to work as an online writer while I actually sit home in my pajamas, eating bonbons and watching soap operas. The other half of them thinks I am rich because of the popularity of the internet. Neither is even close to being the truth.
Active income is direct pay for articles. Textbroker.com is a great site for earning an active income.Writers are compensated a certain amount on a per word or per article basis. Each different site has its own guidelines for how the writers are paid. Active income sites are a great way to make upfront pay for content. There are two different sites to earn this kind of pay. Sites like Textbroker allow customers to post specific article needs that contributing authors write for a specified fee per word.
There are sites that allow freelance writers to publish their articles for rights purchases. Both sites pay their freelance writers a one time fee. Writers decide their own prices for their artices for usage, unique and full rights. Constant-content.com is a great site for this kind of income. This site not only allows authors to choose what they wish to publish but has many clients that post specific needs that authors can write articles for.
Passive income is known as revenue or revenue share income. Suite101.com is one of the most highly recommended passive income sites. This type of income is paid forever, as long as the article remains online for searchers to view. This type of payment has many benefits but the most important is the fact that the articles pay over and over again. In the beginning, most online freelance writers see just a few pennies per articles. As the article count increases then so does the pennies. The more articles that a writer publishes then the more money they will make.
I advise that you sign up for both passive and active income sites. The best benefits of both incomes will be made available to you.
Build a Writing Resume
Even if you do not have any previous professional writing experience, it is still important that you possess a writing resume. Many jobs require some type of writing whether it is note taking, lists, taking orders, inventory, etc. Take what writing experience you do have and turn it into a credential. You can include personal writings too. Blogs, diaries, shopping lists, unpublished poetry and short stories, scheduling, etc are all ways to show you do have some sort of experience writing. Do not fabricate writing experience as this will only cause more harm than good.
Check Out the Different Writing Sites
As mentioned above, there are both passive and active sites that are constantly hiring new freelance writers to publish online content. Before you dive right in, check out each site. Look at freelance writer’s blogs; most have information on sites they contribute to and many have reviews on the different sites. Look at the different type of topics each site offers to see if there is a place for what you plan to focus your writing on. Check out forums for more information. Search for reviews of sites. Then decide on the ones that not only have high positive reviews but that have a place for you to publish what you know.
Read the published content on each site and take note of the type of formatting, topics, and word count the sites are looking for. This will be very important when providing a writing sample during the application process.
Online Writing Jobs
Another active income opportunity for online freelance writers is private writing gigs. There are hundreds websites that post online freelance writing jobs every day for corporate, websites, and private clients. These opportunities are normally direct pay for articles. Take a few moments to register at the most popular sites. Private clients normally hire freelance writers for specific topics and for a certain amount of articles. The pay is usually per word or per article. These types of jobs are one of the very few times freelance writers can negotiate terms and payments. There are times when clients will ask the writer what their fee is. Try to come to a compromise that both parties are happy with.
Write, Write, Write
Upon acceptance to the sites of your choice, you need to write, write, and write some more. For one, building an online writing portfolio is very important. It gives the writer a place to send perspective clients to view their work as well as opening doors to more writing opportunities. Both types of income require consistent publishing to receive the benefits. With active income, the formula is simple: the more you write the more you get paid. With passive income, the more you write then the more views you receive and the more views you receive then the more revenue you have a chance to make. But remember, only publish top quality articles. Poor spelling, bad grammar, and inaccurate information discredit a freelance writer. This can severely limit a writer’s success.
I have learned that every successful freelance writer has a different story to tell. I believe that success is not measured in the amount of money we make but in the amount of experience and respect we gain along the way.
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